


The Choices Made

by Red_Shadow_Wolf_19



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cock Cages, Dehumanization, F/M, Forced Cohabitation, Forced Step-Sibling incest, Implied Mpreg, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Mind Break, Non-Consensual Puppy Play, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-20 17:27:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21060428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red_Shadow_Wolf_19/pseuds/Red_Shadow_Wolf_19
Summary: A decision made in haste and pain comes back to haunt Loki.Returning to Sakaar, Loki decides to build a life for himself that will suit him and ease both his heart and ego.  And the Grandmaster seems more that willing to help.  What could go wrong?For Grandthorki Day 2019





	The Choices Made

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Loxxlay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loxxlay/gifts).

> For Grandthorki Day 2019
> 
> This was mostly the result of me listening to the first two books of the Tutor Queen series by Alison Weir (I know it's historical fiction but it's my junk food history). I may come back and explore certain elements of this story but this is more of a character study of poor poor Lo Lo.

"No damn way."

"Language! There's a baby."

"No FUCKING way!

Rogers rolled his eyes but kept his attention focused on the scowling God of Mischief. The brunette was wearing his usual expression of annoyance and superiority. Around him were a few Asgardian servants, milling around and staring openly at the small delegation of Avengers that had assembled in the small makeshift throne room of New Asgard. Valkyrie stood nearby, glaring at them and holding a small pale baby with dark raven locks and sapphire blue eyes. Occasionally the baby would whine and the young man's eyes would immediately shift to the babe.

"I would be more comfortable," he began, using his best authoritative voice, "if we met with Thor alo-"

"Without any of your goddamn magic tricks!" Tony interrupted.

Bruce cut in as well, "It's been nearly a year and a half and we haven't seen him in person."

"New Asgard is fully equipped with phones and wireless. From our records, Thor has spoken to one of you three times a week for a year," Valkyrie said, bouncing the baby in her arms. 

"For ten to fifteen minutes at a time. And SOMEONE," the billionaire glared at Loki, "always ends the call. And now that same SOMEONE, who has also been refusing us entry to New Asgard, now wants to sit in on our visit!"

"I only have my brother's well-being in mind. And New Asgard needs their King more than you need an extra warrior," Loki said evenly, stalking forward in a matter that reminded everybody of the Loki years ago who tried to invade Earth. But there was a feral glint in his eyes and it worried Rodgers. It reminded him of a trapped bear trying to protect her last cub.

Tony was however less observant. "'EXTRA WARRIOR'?!? HAVE YOU NOT SEEN THE NEWS, YOU LITTLE-"

The baby began to cry in earnest and Valkyrie immediately passed the wailing infant to Loki. The God immediately dropped his defensive stance to comfort the babe, whispering assurances and singing a soft lullaby. They were all taken aback by the sudden change. The way his eyes glowed as he cooed and bounced the baby, to the way he gave the little creature a proud warm smile. It was so foreign to what they knew of Loki.

Once the baby was quiet, he passed the baby back to the woman and whispered something to her. She shook her head, defiantly.

"He's not ready!"

"I know that!" the trickster snapped in irritation, the baby giving out a startled noise. Quieter, "They won't leave unless they see him though."

"He's right," Nat said, flashing a half-hearted smile in the other woman's direction. She received another glare back.

"You don't know the harm-"

"US DOING HARM!" Tony pointed at Loki accusingly, "What about him?! Isn't he like...a traitor?! Enemy of the state-kingdom? People? Nation? Whatever the hell you guys consider yourselves?"

"I've been pardoned."

"And he's-"

"I am a Prince of Asgard. And I assist my brother with ruling and overseeing the future of our People."

"His people."

Loki didn't even blink. "You've been an annoying gnat for the last year, ignoring all of our polite refusals to meet. We had our reasons. And now you've forced yourself this far, why would you endanger your chances to go any further?"

"Tony," Steve finally placed a hand to silence the younger man, "let's just see Thor and not antagonize his brother."

"Adopted." Loki said, almost without thinking.

They had expected to be shown into a throne room or maybe some sort of war room. Instead they were brought further into the makeshift palace to a cluttered bedroom. A television was playing some inane little cartoon as a computer on a far wall displayed an abandoned game of virtual solitaire. There was a lump of blankets piled on a couch in front of the television; it took a few moments for the super soldier to realize it was breathing.

"I told you not to leave the computer on if you're not using it," Loki said quietly to the lump, moving to the computer and manually shutting it off. Stark and Banner both sucked in a collective breath of annoyance.

"Forgot," the lump replied. The blankets shifted and a pale faced Thor looked out sheepishly, an eyepatch over his missing eye. "Meeting over?"

"Not yet unfortunately," the brunette motioned to the small group awkwardly standing at the part of the room.

The blonde followed the movements. He stared at them for a moment in confusion before realization hit him. "Oh!" He sat up. "My friends! I wasn't expecting you! I would have..." he trailed off. The blankets falling off of him had revealed a thin man, muscle nearly non-  
existent, his grey shirt hanging off of him. There was a scar over his last eye and his hair was a little grayer than Steve had first seen. He looked simultaneously younger and older than the last time they'd seen him.

"If you want them to leave," Loki began, but was cut off by Tony.

"The hell have you been doing to him!?" The shorter man was immediately stalking over to the Frost Giant. "He went from Point Break to Break Down! The fuck-"

"I did nothing! And you will not use such language in front of him!" Loki hissed, moving through the smaller man and walking over to his brother. "If you want them to leave, tell me."

"But you said I should see them eventually," Thor said, to the shock of nearly all the Avengers in the room.

"When you're ready. I promised never to push you into anything. Where's Heimdall?"

"I sent him to get some food. I was actually hungry." He smiled and for a moment the old Thor returned. "Can I see Balder?"

"After you eat and take a shower." Loki turned back to the group. "The second he's done, you have to leave."

The group stood awkwardly, staring at the God of Thunder. The King of Asgard barely moved from his mound of blankets, only, his eyes tracking their nervous fidgeting like an animal would track a predator.

Finally, Natasha moved closer to him, the blonde nearly leaping out off the couch but seemingly steeling himself for the encounter. Rogers sent the other Asgardian royal an accusatory glance, and found him watching his brother anxiously. He seemed less worried about them now and more worried about Thor.

"Hey," Romanoff said quietly. "Haven't seen you in awhile."

Thor nodded but said nothing.

"New Asgard looks great. You must be very busy with running things."

The cartoon suddenly went to a loud commercials and he flinched.

"Maybe we can turn that off?" she asked staring around at Loki, expectantly.

"NO!" Thor's voice was quick and almost frantic, moving to snatch the remote from a pile of blankets before someone took it from him. A little calmer, he said, "I prefer to have it on. The noise....," he glanced at his brother sharing a knowing look, "I need the noise."

"How about we turn it down then, just a little," the other brother suggested. To Natasha, almost pleasantly. "Would you like to sit down?"

The woman glanced distastefully at the only available option to sit, the arm of the couch and back to the Frost Giant. "I can stand."

"No, no!" Thor began pushing his nest to the ground and swinging his now thin legs off the other cushions. "There's room enough! I usually have more chairs around here but some of the palace children wanted to build a blanket fort."

"Oh t-thank you," Natasha took the seat that was offered, her nose momentarily crinkling as she caught a whiff of the unwashed hair of the blonde.

"Hey, Buddy," Bruce tried next walking slowly around Thor. He made a big show of using trying to speak with his hands, so the other man could see they were empty. He was reminded of his time traveling the world and helping children in the poorest corners of the world, children sold into slavery or armies or even worse. If there was a worse.

The King nodded a greeting, as though he had to conserve his words carefully.

"Don't know if you've been watching the news," he gestured at the television.

"Sometimes," was the rely. "Heimdall puts it on occasionally."

"So you know about the possibility of Ultron being back? Trying to rebuild himself?" Tony moved a little too quickly towards Thor and the God of Thunder nearly jumped off the couch in absolute terror.

His breathing became rapid, his hands went to his dirty hair and began to tug at the dirty locks. He twisted his body in on itself, making it as small as possible. A stream of near incoherent babble dripped from his lips in a high pitched whine. It was frightening. Heartbreaking.

Loki tried to move toward him, his face the same look of concern he had shown for the baby, but Tony blocked his path. For several moments the God of Mischief forgot his powers, helplessly looking past the mortal. Natasha reached out for Thor, trying to pull his hands away from his hair. The moment her hand touched his he violently twisted further back and yelped. 

Like a dog that had been struck.

"ENOUGH!" Loki cried, and a wave magic pushed them all backward, knocking Stark completely to the ground. The Frost Giant quickly stepped over him and to his brother. He began quietly speaking to the older man, his voice drowned out by the blonde.

"I've been bad! I should go back! We should go back! If we go back, maybe we won't be punished too badly! I don't want to be put in Timeout! You promised I'd never have to do that again! You promised you wouldn't yell! And I was in the dark! I want my-"

The younger brother gathered him in his arms and muffled his voice. There were tears in his emerald eyes and he looked heartbroken. "Enough," he said quietly. "That's enough for today."

A side door opened and the tall graceful figure of Heimdall entered, holding a tray. His eyes quickly swept the seen before landing on Loki. "Allmother, I'm sorry. He wanted-"

"It's fine. I was here and I had hoped that he was in better shape than last night." To Thor, he said, "You need food, Brother. And a bath. And then you can see Balder. You want to see your son, don't you?"

Thor lifted his head and nodded rapidly.

"Alright. I will be back in an hour or so to check on you. Please eat." It was an almost desperate plea.

Another quick nod.

Heimdall frowned. "Are you sure you don't want me to see them off?" His glance towards them made them all slightly shrink.

"I will do it. Your King needs you."

"Yes, Allmother."

Loki detached Thor from himself, rubbing his cheek affectionately, before motioning them to follow him. Natasha stood, her face guilty trying to glance back at the blonde on the couch. The Gatekeeper of Asgard placed himself between her and his King and pointed for her leave. Tony was still on the ground where he had been knocked down. He slowly got to his feet, still trying to stare at his old friend. But the Gatekeeper was not having it and not so gently pushed him out the door with the rest.

There they stood in the hallway of the New Asgardian palace complex: the Avengers on one side, bewildered, and Loki, allowing several tears to fall.

Finally, he sniffed and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, an inelegant gesture that seemed alien to everything they knew about the God of Mischief. "I will send our best warriors to aid you in conquering this Ultron. I will join, but only if you wish it. Otherwise I would like to remain here. With him."

"That would be appreciated," Rogers said, patting the brunette on the shoulder. The trickster looked completely taken aback, withdrawing from the touch.

"Um, not to put a damper on you agreeing to help," Clint spoke up, "but can we just-"

"What the fuck?" Bruce spoke up.

"Seconded," Stark raised his hand.

"An explanation would be nice," Natasha quipped.

Loki looked lost. His face fell into his hands.

"It's all my fault..."

~~~~~

"I need to speak to you before we arrive at Earth."

Loki had suspected this. There had been a few days that everything had almost felt like that long ago forgotten time before New York and Thor's banishment. They had been brothers, equals. The people of Asgard had just been just like before, smiling broadly as he passed and calling him their Prince. Since Thor had no queen and no heirs, he was the next in line. He had helped save them. And his older brother was the most grateful and proud of all of them.

But slowly everything had changed. Mistrust replaced the adoration. The title 'Prince' was replaced to his name, sometimes said through gritted teeth. Suspicious eyes followed his movements and whispers were left in his wake. What was worse, if one had to say a worse thing than this, was that Thor ignored these growing issues. He spent most of his time in the company of the Valkyrie, slowly going from comrades in arms to a couple in courtship. The younger brother wasn't an idiot; the writing was on the wall for all to see.

"Yes, my King?" He gave a slightly mocking bow.

Thor twisted his face distastefully. "Don't do that."

"You were the one to call this meeting while sitting on the throne."

The older man didn't move. "I want you to be the first to know. Brunnhilde and I are engaged to be married."

"Congratulations. I'm surprised you're not telling Banner."

"I will." After this. After this business was concluded.

"I guess you have a reason to tell me privately."

"Yes!" There was a long strained pause.

"If you are letting me know I will eventually no longer be your heir, I had already come to that conclusion."

Thor looked away, his expression one of guilt. "Actually, you already are no longer my heir."

Loki lifted his eyebrows. "You are already expecting?"

"No."

The old bile rose in his throat. He grit his teeth. "May I ask why?"

"The council I have assembled has decided-"

"Without me."

"That for impersonating Odin and endangering the realm, you will be imprisoned once more."

"The fact I came to your aide, so quickly forgotten."

"Never. I would never let them forget."

"But you would put me in shackles again! What was all that nonsense about trying to reassure me about your friends?! Was that just lies?!"

"It wasn't- but you had to have realized that Asgard would not take kindly to you playing king."

"'PLAYING KING'?!"

"WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?!"

Loki's mouth clicked shut. He turned away and looked out a window. Vast constellations and celestial bodies stretched out endlessly. He could see his reflection in the glass, as well as his brother's. He looked somewhere between exasperated and pitying.

"I tried to make them reconsider."

"You are King."

"A new King. With a people who are scared and just had their homeland destroyed. They want peace. They want...order."

"And I bring chaos." He said it simply, the title 'God of Mischief' ringing in his ears.

"I begged them to reconsider. I could only make them to agree to a few terms."

"Terms?" Loki turned disbelieving, half-hoping to his brother.

"Yes," Thor looked to some degree like he was trying to calm a horse from bucking. "You have the option to renounce your title as a Prince of Asgard and all protection that it affords you and leave."

"Leave? Where?"

"To Jotunheim. You are still King there."

"In name alone! I will need an army! Even if I am accepted! Troops to protect me from rivals and usurpers."

"You will be given some treasure, so you may pay for some mercenaries."

"You and I both know that a mercenary will turn their cloaks the moment I run out of coin!" He shook his head disbelieving. "I will either die on a throne after I have spent my last ounce of gold or I will die in obscurity. A king in exile!"

"If you choose that path."

"And the other path?"

Thor walked closer to him. "You may choose to stay, and retain your title as Prince of Asgard, but you will be imprisoned. You will be granted a spacious and comfortable cell. Books, servants, and visitors. You will be treated like the royal you are. And when my and Brunnhilde's child is able to stand, we shall review your case. The council will meet to see if you can be released."

He felt dizzy with rage. He whipped around, shoulders rigid and jaw set. His eyes flashed fire. "So my options are leave and pray I'm not murdered or stay in shackles and pray that Asgard doesn't think of some new crime to charge me with."

"You will most likely be released-"

"YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY BE THAT NAIVE!!!" Loki shouted. "They will keep finding reasons to keep me behind bars until I am old and gray. Probably until I am dead. And even then they won't release my corpse. A manacled skeleton." He sneered. "Can you imagine it?"

"Loki! You must have faith in the people of Asgard!"

"Ah yes, the people who always saw me as lesser. The people that, even though I saved them TWICE are still willing to see me gone. I am not their prince. I am not one of them. As I have said before, I am not your brother."

"To me you are," Thor's voice sounded almost desperate. "Please, if I had to urge you to consider an option, I'd beg you to consider the latter. Brother-"

"You have been too forgiving to me," Loki's mind was made up, his face a mask of indifference. "I hope you know that I truly will never raise my hand against you, your family, or your....people."

"Loki, please! Reconsider! You may-"

"I will be gone first thing in the morning. If that is alright with you. Your Majesty."

He left without waiting for a response, Thor yelling something after him.

~~~~

He shouldn't have been surprised that the Grandmaster had reasserted control over Sakaar. An immortal madman versus a planet that was used to his psychotic if consistent rule; you didn't have to be a genius to figure out the rest. What was more surprising was how welcoming and forgiving the elder was.

"Revolutions happen," he shrugged sipping a dark red drink that reminded Loki of blood. "If not then, possibly next century. Something planets and uh people have to do to blow off steam."

"Very cavalier attitude," he replied, not drinking the green cocktail he had been given. He was not about to let down his guard completely.

"Well, that's the thing Lo Lo. I've been in the planet running racket for years! I know what Sakaar wants. And what it wants is me, the gladiatorial arena, and a few good festivals."

The treasure, bribe more like, went far on Sakaar. Without even putting a dent into the booty, Loki was able to afford a well appointed manor and three servants to attend him. Unfortunately the price for an army had gone up since the rebellion. No matter; there were plenty of ways for a throneless king to make money on this planet of trash.

One way was to attend parties. The nobles who had been able to maintain their positions after the Grandmaster came back into power were more than willing to pay for an ex-traitor to join them to the numerous to-dos the immortal put on. He would drape his arm over them or they would drape whatever appendage over him, and they would make a wide circuit around the room. Naturally, they would get bored of him, and he was able to slip away easily enough. Or find himself once more in the company of En Dwi Gast. Gast himself would pay for him to attend parties, mostly to sit at his right hand and explain why he had returned to Sakaar. He made up a different story each time, but the Grandmaster hardly cared. He would just smile, getting closer and closer to the Frost Giant until they were practically touching.

"Interesting," was all he would say.

The second way he make money was stealing from the same nobles who hired him. Parties on Sakaar could put an Asgardian feast to shame with the level of drinking, let alone the amount of drugs. He drank sparingly, and soon found that he was one of the last few standing once dawn broke. It was easy to find the person or creature who had brought him, stretched out over a white couch and root around in their pockets for gold and treasure. The Grandmaster once found him doing it.

"Check his other pocket. He uh usual keeps his things in his other pocket."

It was hard to admit, but he was slowly warming to the Grandmaster. Maybe it was the quick and easy forgiveness he received, something he had never received from Odin or the Asgardian people. Maybe it was the way the elder seemed so amused by his antics, his tricks and 'mischief'. It had been years since someone laughed with him. Encouraged him. Even pretended to care about him. He wasn't foolish to believe that the Grandmaster really cared about him though. He probably considered him a favorite pet or plaything.

Soon he was seeking out the Grandmaster's presence, ditching his patrons as soon as they entered a party. He found himself looking forward to the late hours, amongst the fallen of the feast, sitting and talking to Gast as the sun rose. Loki even found himself moving closer to the man, from the companionable distance to thrilling few inches away. He looked forward to the touches, the smiles, the strange patterns of speech, the eyes roaming where hands longed to go.

It wasn't love. But it was a burning yet comfortable lust. A passionate understanding. Two predators rutting in a wood. Allies, with benefits.

It was desperation.

One evening, he accepted a request for dinner from the Grandmaster. Their first official date. They had flirted well enough the first time he was on Sakaar, but this was different. That had been him trying to survive and find a niche in the world. Now, he had carved out if nothing else, a shaky identity.

The dinner began comfortably enough, with them at the furthest points of a long table, comfortably chatting about the gladiators and parties and even some about the politics of running of Sakaar.

"I've been neglecting it the last few centuries. Maybe a millennia. It all blurs together honestly," Gast waved his hand dismissively. "Trade has all but dried up. Well uh legal trade." He smiled that seductive coy smile. "We are home to one of the most profitable black markets around."

"Still, black market money isn't sustainable. Long or short term," Loki replied over his glass. He didn't fear upsetting him much anymore. After you steal a ship, help a rebellion, and betray a person, and then they forgive you, you could hardly be faulted for speaking your mind.

"No it isn't. But what planetary government will trade with me legally. Apparently it's very vogue to condemn uhm intolerable conditions. And it's not like I can change the place all willy nilly."

"Shame you don't have a queen. You could have her invoke Queen's Mercy."

The Grandmaster leaned in, intrigued. "Queen's what now?"

Loki moved closer so they were touching elbows. "Queen's Mercy. Or Allmother's Mercy, if the Queen has had children. On Asgard, the Queen may call mercy, overruling the King's authority. End wars, take and free prisoners, rewrite laws, it can be used for all manner of things. Naturally this power was used by some queens for their own purposes. Often it was a coordinated effort between both sovereigns, so it's mostly a piece of trite political theater."

"And can the Queen always invoke this, this mercy?"

"No, only during certain festivals or special events, though she could always advocate behind the scenes." He looked away. That was how his Mother had operated. Always trying to urge Odin to keep an ounce of kindness when he sat the throne. He prayed the Valkyrie did the same for Thor.

"Well, I don't see any queens on Sakaar. Unless I counted."

He couldn't help but snort at that, clinking their glasses together in good humor.

The evening wore on and another course was served. Loki stayed fairly close to Gast, listening to the man prattle on and on about his future plans, how he had built Sakaar and built it again, and his hobby.

"Don't laugh, but I enjoy breeding dogs and horses."

"Why would I laugh? I grew up listening to Odin discuss such things with the kennel master and  
master of the stables."

"Well, uh, Sakaar doesn't really have those things. When I first started this, it was unheard of. Keeping pets, I mean. You know, out there in the slums they eat anything they find."

"Food is scarce," Loki said, glancing at the heavy laden table before them.

Gast didn't seem to hear or care. "So here I am, asking for a kennel and pen to be set up, and all those eyes just kept staring at me. I still do it, but uh, purebreds are hard to come by. Again because of the trade with other planets being scarce. Purebreds don't do well in black market crates. You can uh pay for the transport of them and their food, but a pirate doesn't think to feed them, y'know?"

"I would love to see one of your pups. I had my own hunting dogs when I lived in Asgard."

"You did?! What happened to them?"

His eyes went dark. "Some were given to Frigga after my treason. Some were given to Thor. Some were...drowned."

"Drowned?!" It wasn't said in horror or disgust. It was said in pure curiosity, like Loki was sharing any other strange custom.

"Standard practice for feral dogs in Asgard. I knew a few kennel masters who would hold a dog under the water for several minutes and then bring them back up, as a way to pacify such dogs," he sipped his drink and shifted uncomfortably, "I believe such practice was abolished because of Queen's Mercy."

"Hmmm." The immortal's hand went to his and traced his knuckles. He couldn't help but feel a shiver ran through him. "Hey, come over here. You're way over there. And I-I want you closer."

That was how he ended up in the Grandmaster's lap, his lips ghosting his, hands wandering over his backside.

"Tell me," the elder whispered, slightly nipping at his lips,"why did you come back?"

"You," the Frost Giant breathed, rolling his hips and moaning when he felt a hard length grind into his.

"You do that so well. Lie, I mean," Gast growled before finally claiming his lips. There was a scorching heat and a very brief battle of tongues and teeth before they both moved away. "Shall we continue this in the bedroom?"

"What about the food?"

"Give it to the poor. Suppose that'll keep them from eating my dogs."

Once in the bedroom, the Grandmaster pushed him down onto the bed, practically tearing his clothes off of him. "It's ridiculous that you wear these silly suits and capes! They're cheap and hide too much of you."

"Buy me new clothes and I will wear them!" he quipped back. He received a slap for that, but he was quick to realize that was what was expected: him to be insulted and picked over or to be a brat and then quickly punished and chastened. Even rewarded.

"You should pierce these," went one line, as his nipples were bitten and tugged. "Give me something to twist and play with."

"Only if I get to use diamond studs," he replied. He smiled through hooded eyes. "I can pawn them later." His testicles were twisted for that line.

Prep was minimal. Not like he was expecting any, really. But he couldn't help but screw up his eyes at the mostly burning sensation as he was entered. He through his arms around the Grandmaster and buried his face into his shoulder, lest he be thought weak. It wasn't love. It wasn't sentimentality. It was his own weakness wouldn't dampen their lusts. Not that it hardly mattered. Gast pounded him into the mattress, hardly caring if he was enjoying himself or not. Luckily, he was able to angle his hips and allow his prostate to be stimulated. They came nearly in sync, collapsing into the sweaty sheets. Well, he was in the sheets. The immortal was on top of him.

Finally, Gast rolled off of him, still half dressed in his rumples clothes. "You may stay, if you wish." There was no implied invitation. Simply a binary choice.

Loki slowly rolled to the side of the bed and began gathering his clothes. "I have clean sheets at my manor."

There was a shrug. "Suppose I can't argue with that. Uh, but what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes. I am going to be watching the arena and than having dinner. Maybe I need uhm a companion? Maybe this shall happen again?"

~~~~~~~

It became a past time. Loki rarely went home to his manor to the point he sold it for a slight profit; the Grandmaster had seen to give him a small suite in his palace. He no longer prostituted himself as a plus one for the countless parties. What was the point when he was usually side-by-side with the host? He still picked the pockets of those who passed out, to the amusement of Gast.

Their evenings, nights, and even large chunks of their days were filled with fucking. There was no other word for it. It left bruises, occasionally drew blood, clothes and costumes torn nearly to shreds, and once completed, they rolled away from one another as quickly as they came together. Oh, there could be tenderness in the foreplay, an almost sweetness, but it was all a game. The Grandmaster loved games. He knew this from before, but never was it more clear in the bedroom. One day he would grow tired of this game, as all the rest.

They grew more comfortable with one another. They both understood not to expect undying love and devotion. An immortal did not fall in love with one who had a slightly longer lifespan and a god certainly did not fall in love with a nonbeliever. But they were both practical minded beings, with shared mutual interests, so call it friendship if it must be labelled. The Grandmaster began to let him in on some of the day to day running Sakaar. Loki gave advice occasionally, but even if the other man was ready to admit it was sound, he was quick to point out he was not the one in charge and had no say in Sakaar. When he clued the Grandmaster in on that he was indeed saving money, the elder had many helpful suggestions. Naturally the Frost Giant took great pleasure in reminding him that he controlled nearly every way to make money, so such advice was hardly helpful.

It was late one evening, the sky almost purple, when Loki finally revealed why he was saving money. He gave a rather detached retelling of the choice his brother gave him, framing his leaving more as him seizing an opportunity rather than him being abandoned. He ended with his usual trickster grin. "Now you see why I have to save my money."

"Yeah, uh armies can be expensive. Especially if you don't want your throat slit." He leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. "And you'll need to keep paying them, so you wouldn't have time to hmmm socialize and see about securing your legacy." At his lifted eyebrow, the Grandmaster waved a hand in a flippant manner. "Kids! Or do your kind lay eggs?"

He grimaced. "I haven't thought about that aspect yet. But yes, I suppose I will have to find myself a consort to father children either on or on me."

"On you?" Now Gast was even more intrigued.

"There are some Frost Giants and Asgardian males able to conceive children. I am one such. I have done it before." Again, Loki didn't mention the sorry history of what befell his child Sleipnir, taken and used by Odin. Nor would he mention the conception or species of his firstborn. He locked these things away under the past he wished to forget and, if possible, forgive.

The Grandmaster was ignoring any discomfort he must have shown about his long ago forgotten son. "I always thought about uh having kiddos."

"Why haven't you?"

"Well, kids tie you down. And whoever the other parent would be would probably nag about me being apart of their lives. I mean, I made their lives so why do I have to stick around and watch them walk and talk and vomit all over themselves."

"A loving parent breeds a loyal child to do their will. Look at Thor and myself. Who do you think Odin loved more?"

"Suppose that's true, but it's not like I need kiddies to keep my legacy. I mean," he snorted, "I'll outlive them. I uh don't see anyone signing up for that. And I know kids, they need an inheritance. It ain't like they're going to be getting anything from me."

"Marriage alliances," Loki said simply. "Solve your trade problem and their inheritance troubles a in masterstroke."

Then, Loki saw it. A solution to his problem and to the Grandmaster's. It would probably be one of the most desperate things he had ever done. He was selling the last thing he had in possession for a crown to a place he had never considered home. It was foolish and meant so much compromise. But wasn't that what a king did? He could shape so much, help Jotunheim, New Asgard, and even Midgard in a stroke. He would even help Sakaar, not that many would see it that way. He could meet Thor again, truly as an equal. He would have to explain himself, but surely his brother with age and his own throne to protect would understand.

"Maybe...maybe I can help you."

The Grandmaster looked surprised. "Tell me."

~~~~~

Their wedding was the largest event in Sakaar's history, sans the recent rebellion. Loki had tailors working around the clock making wedding attire that would demonstrate he was not just a showy fashion piece to the Grandmaster but an actual king in his own right. He did add embellishments to capture the eye and commissioned two crowns for himself, one for Sakaar and one for Jotunheim. He spent more time on the latter, knowing that this one would be passed to his children. They would wear it upon their heads, knowing he had forged it through compromise and dealing with the devil himself. The devil would be also their father, but he prayed they understood his choice when they wore his crown. Besides, he thought watching as silver was twisted into shape, he would be heralded as a peacemaker in the Nine Realms. And they would be apart of that legacy.

He had already decided he would reach out to Thor as soon as his throne was secure and a child was in his belly. The other king would understand his need for peace. Once he had established contact, he would wait until Thor had a child or two and he had done the same to broach the topic of a marriage alliance. His former adopted brother would probably bawk; he could already hear the 'we're family!' or 'I do not want my child married to THAT man's spawn!'. But he was sure that his brother's loving and kind nature, the political sense they both had been tutored in by Odin, and his own Silver Tongue would be able to persuade him. Now they truly would be family. And another child would be safely delivered from Sakaar.

Gast had made it clear even in the dwindling hours before their marriage that he was going to leave most of the raising of their children to him. Yes, he would play the dutiful and even caring Father, but he was not about to stoop to overseeing the day to day of their education and development. As long as they were loyal, obedient, and understood he was also their benefactor as well as their father, Loki had complete reign over them while they were in his care.

"It's almost like you trust me!" the brunette teased, after a rare moment of post coital leisure together.

"Almost," admitted the Grandmaster, giving him his classic wink.

The first ceremony, the actual wedding, was rather quick. No declaration of fidelity or love. There were words of protection and promises to aide one another, but it was very transactional. Ceremony was probably not the word to describe what happened; the Grandmaster had never married before and he was loathe to stoop the common mortal traditions. New ones had to be made up, ones that also suited Gast's short level of patience. No one really asked what Loki would prefer, since he was yet Consort, but he cared little.

Once that ceremony was done, and before all of Sakaar was embroiled in another party, Loki was crowned with his first crown. This time, they had included him on the planning. No one had been crowned in Sakaar for several millennia! He taught them the ceremony, instructing them even on the very day, whispering instructions as they placed the gold laden ringlet on his head.

The party was excellent. He had to admit he finally was brave enough to drink a full drink, though he had only the one. The gladiatorial arena was transformed into a stage and several performances were held. One recounted how Loki had secretly aided the Grandmaster's return to power during which they fell in love. A useful fiction to gain support and end any rumors he was going to lead a second coup from within. All while musicians played and revelers danced around, Gast played the enchanted husband. Loki could almost believe it.

The party ended and 'order' had resumed, Loki did his first royal plea as Consort: for his new home and his 'beloved' husband to assist him in taking back his rightful crown. He extolled the natural resources and beauty of his 'homeland' and even shed a few feigned tears at it being robbed of him. He did this all on his knees, dressed in a simple gown, only his crown denoting his rank. True to their arrangement, Gast lifted him to his knees and in his own informal manner promised to win him Jotunheim.

"You will be King Lo Lo, of Sakaar!"

Again it was about compromise.

Sakaar took to conquering rather well, all things considered. Their uniforms were ridiculous and many of the generals were simply sycophants that had begged for a posting, but they saluted him the day they headed out so beautifully, he forgot to complain.

While he waited for his throne, Loki helped reshape Sakaar's economy and began improving the infrastructure. Gast seemingly disappeared from such responsibilities. He had his parties and fights, and hobbies to attend to, and he had 'run' Sakaar thus far alone. Let someone else do it seemed to be the message he received. And so he did. It was a slow process, but it felt good to be heard. On the rare occasions that the Grandmaster did rule himself, he sat beside him. This was the closest thing to love he felt towards the immortal, their hands touching and the easy banter they affected while hearing petitions. It was everything he had ever wanted. And he showed his gratitude with his body every time.

"I should have you tattooed, in Sakaar fashion," the Grandmaster growled out once, burying himself in the Frost Giant. They hadn't made it out of the throne room before they had begun to rut like animals over their thrones.

"And I should have a fur lined robe be commissioned for you, like a ruler of Jotunheim," he spat back.

He never got a response.

Jotunheim fell easily enough: Loki had after all killed his birth father and tried to bring about a genocide. They weren't exactly at their strongest. Nor were they pleased that Loki had suddenly become their king. But they weren't swimming in alternatives either. Ragnarok had flooded them with refugees and they were now the strongest in the Nine Realms until Asgard was able to put down roots. They needed a wise and powerful leader, and Loki had the army and proven track record of, if not wisdom, intuition and cunning.

An agreement was settled. Loki would rule from Sakaar with occasional visits, and he would allow a democratically elected regent sit and preside in his place. To ensure that his rule be respected, Gast suggested taking hostages to come back to Sakaar and serve him. Naturally, since they would also serve their child and be the first generation that would be under his and Loki's rule, he encouraged children to be taken. The Frost Giant agreed, taking children from several clans with promises from the rest to send their children as soon as they were able. His small 'Child's Court' as he playfully referred to it, resembled mostly a nursery. The oldest hostage was girl just barely about to flower, though she still came up to Loki's shoulder. The youngest was a babe barely off his Mother's milk. To assist in running in his new mostly child household, he also took an older woman, whose slow calm nature and motherly expression he hoped would help the children through the transition to living in his wing of the palace on Sakaar.

He was crowned twice more, once on Jotunheim in traditional furs and armor in front of elders he had never met and a second time in front of the roaring crowds of Sakaar. As they walked along the balcony of the palace, the entire planet cheering, Gast leaned close to his ear and whispered, "My planet adores what you have done for it."

Loki glowed with pride. He had indeed gotten everything he could ever want. A throne, respect, and safety. He had not had to really lie for it, so somewhere in the afterlife, possibly Odin and Frigga must be pleased with him. He had secured his future, and one day, he would assist even the people who had sent him away. Sometimes, in the dark of the night after the Grandmaster retreated from his bed, he would imagine his funeral. All of Jotunheim and Sakaar coming to look over his corpse. A delegation of Asgardians come too, led by Thor. He couldn't imagine himself outliving the other man. His brother bows his head and acknowledges him as a Prince of Asgard, and weeps. 

A childish fantasy, but he doesn't care.

Several months go by. Once again, the Grandmaster had become more absorbed with his parties and arena battles and whatever else, leaving much of the ruling of both planets to him. He didn't really care, though he felt that sometimes he was not making as much headway as he would like. He kept a rather sober court, so many of the courtiers flocked to Gast and his constant entertainment and alcohol.

The Grandmaster and he still dined alone together when they could coordinate their schedules, and he tried to coordinate their schedules. He still enjoyed the immortal's company, his easy manner, his touch, and even his humor. And it seemed the elder had yet to get tired of him either.

"I want to show you something," Gast said one day during their meal.

Loki hummed interest as he sipped his drink.

"Since you have been so kind as to help with running the place, I uh have been able to devote myself to my hobby! Of training and breeding dogs!"

"What about horses?"

"Not yet, but my latest purebred pup is something to behold. I want to show him to you. Before I find a bitch for him. Maybe you can help with that."

"I confess I know very little about dog breeding."

He smiled his seductive smile, and reached out for his hand. "Ah, but uh you know about breeding in general. Don't you?"

They retired to Loki's bedroom, and once again fucked until the sheets were a tangle and covered with sweat, semen, and a bit of blood.

"I thought you were going to show me your prized hound?" he laughed, pulling on a loose robe about his body.

"I am. I just wanted to um have dessert first," Gast purred. He went to intercom system on the bedside and called into it, "Bring It in now."

Loki had his back turned to the door when it opened. He heard the servant address both him and the Grandmaster, only waving a hand in acknowledgment. He stood, preparing to see some strange version of an animal that Sakaar classified as dog. Or maybe was expecting a hound like the numerous from his childhood. Whatever he had been expecting died as he turned around.

His knees buckled. Bile rose in his throat. A hand went to his mouth to cover a scream.

It wasn't a dog. It was Thor, naked as the day he was born. He looked thin, too thin. Like a breeze would knock him over. There were jagged scars zigzagging his body, some new some just healing. His empty eye socket had been fitted with a sapphire jewel that clashed with his wretched state. His hair had been shorn, giving him a strange doll-like quality. He wore a collar that looked to be weighing down his neck, keeping it straight and upright. His eye was dull and unseeing, and for a moment the brunette feared he was blind. But then the Grandmaster snapped and it seemed to come alive and sought out the fingers that called to him. When he turned, Loki saw a device protruding from between legs and he realized his brother had a tail plug inside him and a cage around his cock and balls. His ribs were visible and he could count every single one. His legs looked like toothpicks, as though they would no longer support his weight.

He was...broken.

"He uh still needs a bit of work, but he's so well-behaved now I can't help but show him off!" The Grandmaster was saying, running a hand over Thor's shaved head. "Sit Sparkles!"

Thor sat back on his haunches.

"Paw!"

The King of Asgard lifted his hand and placed it in the immortal's. It looked pale and it shook so much. One finger looked like it had not healed properly, permanently healed at a slightly odd angle.

"Speak, Sparkles!"

Thor barked.

"Good boy!" The Grandmaster turned to him, smiling, a giddy and delighted smile. "Isn't he perfect?!"

It took a great effort to find his voice. Loki swallowed a scream and vomit before finally speaking.

"W-what...did you do?"

"'Do'?" He laughed. A horrible sound. "I took in a lost puppy! I fixed him up and trained him! I had to house train him again! That was a struggle, but look at how clean and presentable he is now. You should have seen him a few months ago, covered in his own shit and urine." He wrinkled his nose. "Disgusting. But now, he gets baths every three days. Don't you, Sparkles!"

Thor barked again.

"W-why is he here?"

"He came here," the Grandmaster said simply. He was getting bored already, his eyes moving around the room. "I'm thinking of converting part of your closet into a room for him. He doesn't need a lot of space and he whines when he's alone. You tend to actually sleep more than I do."

"NO!" Loki shouted it. The sudden shift of volume shocked Thor and he gave out a yelp and began to whimper, going low to the ground and rolling onto his back to show his stomach. It made him feel sicker.

"You don't even use the closet! And I'll take him for walks daily! I'll send someone with food and clean his messes. You're being unreasonable!" He rolled his eyes, barely sparing a glance at the 'dog'.

"I will not have MY brother-"

"But he's not your brother, remember? That's what you told him before you left and came here."

It was like a slap to the face. Loki stumbled back, the words cutting into him like a knife.

"You have no obligation to him. He's not your king or kin. You gave up that right when you left. And now that we're married, you share in the responsibility of," he gestured around, "this. I gave you a crown. I can take it back just as easily. You should be grateful! I uh secured you the throne of Asgard if you wish to take it." He licked his lips. "I can't speak to being on the receiving end of him, but I can attest to having fun with him."

Loki finally lost the battle with his stomach. He turned away and threw up all over the lovely plush carpet of the bedroom. All the while, Gast just laughed.

~~~~~

It had all been an elaborate trap. A lie. A farce. And he had been to blind to see it.

The Grandmaster had not forgiven him or Thor. He had simply chosen to make a pretty cage and wait for him to blindly stumble into it. And he had. Gast had probably known everything from the moment he appeared on Sakaar. He had spoken about his parentage and his lost throne the first time he had been on the planet. About his time spent under the guise of Odin. It didn't take a genius to realize Asgard would not take kindly to it. Gast knew what he wanted, what his weaknesses were. He led him to water, and he had drank it greedily.

He was consort in name alone of Sakaar. His reforms were being humored, like one would humor a child. He was lightyears away from Jotunheim, a place that for centuries he had been a sworn enemy of, now to rule. His 'court' was staffed by children, all now his responsibility, and an old crone. They could not help him; they depended on him! He realized too late that one of these babes would most likely be his replacement once he was old, gray, and barren. That made him sick. And to top it all off, even if he could flee, leaving two or three planets in the clutches of a madman and giving up his tainted crowns, he would still be leaving behind Thor.

True to his word, the Grandmaster moved 'Sparkles' into Loki's closet. It was a relatively small closet, one could walk in and possibly lay down. Now, it had a small cushion placed to one side that 'Sparkles' laid down and slept. Several strange toys were strewn around, occasionally to be gnawed upon before abandoned. There was a strange pad on the opposite side, that was changed once a day after it had been used; indeed Sparkles was housebroken. Twice a day, servants arrived at the closet and gave 'it', they never referred to either the name of the 'dog', food. The Grandmaster came regularly to take Sparkles out for exercise, occasionally 'inviting' Loki to join them.

"Don't we make a pretty picture," he would purr into Loki's ear. "You at my side, my lovely Sparkles on a leash, and one day we'll have a baby here too."

It was the happy yip from Thor that made him ill.

There was no where he could run. All of the Grandmaster's court seemingly knew what about this plan. They smirked at him, teasingly asking for his 'valuable' advice or asking if he liked his new 'doggie'. He couldn't spend time with the children of Jotunheim. Those innocent eyes almost seemed accusing now. He had uprooted them and brought them into his cage with him. And he most certainly couldn't stay in his room. Gast had been wrong; Sparkles did not only whine when he was left alone.

Cruelly, the only place he could get away was at the Grandmaster's side. Attending the numerous parties and events, drinking whatever was handed to him, laying his head on the immortal's shoulder and closing his eyes. Blocking out any noise he heard. Going numb. Becoming numb. He could be heartless. He had done it once. He just had to reach inside himself and pull that part out again. When it became clear he couldn't, he resorted to trying to drown it out with more alcohol. Time passed in a haze, and he became one of the numerous guests to pass out at the countless events. He once woke up to find himself being pickpocketed by a little creature that served drinks. It sickened him so much he broke the creature's hand before shoving it away.

He looked away when the Grandmaster would come to 'enjoy' and 'play' with his 'dog'. Thor hardly seemed to know or understand what was happening, so it was easy to detach. To look away. The grunts and moans and strange pants were happening elsewhere. To someone else. To something else. He would drunkenly blunder away as it began and return as it ended. He bled during his encounters with Gast so it hardly mattered if someone else did.

"Clean up after yourself," he slurred once when he returned, toppling into bed.

"Yes, Dear," the Grandmaster mockingly agreed, shooing the 'dog' back into the closet.

He wasn't naive anymore to the Grandmaster's plan; he wanted Loki to agree to sleep with Thor and conceive a child. After all, then he could sit not only the throne of Jotunheim and Asgard as well. His children would succeed him. He would secure not only his legacy but Thor's. And he would snub his nose at all those who wished him gone. But it was all a lie; once he died his children would be dependent on their benefactor, Gast. And he would come and collect. He had blindly sold countless generations to the Grandmaster for a crown and a dog.

It was easier to think of Sparkles as a dog. He ate like a dog, his diet a strange mixture of meat and meal like one would feed a dog. He played like a dog; Loki had seen him come up to servants and try to get them to throw small toys and things so he could fetch them. He yelped, barked, whined, and growled like a dog. Whatever remained of his brother was gone. One night, as the Grandmaster used his body, Sparkles began to whine and yip in his closet. Without thinking, Loki shouted, "Shut up, you stupid mutt!" Gast fell atop him, laughing. He joined in too, only because he had promised himself never to cry in the madman's presence again.

He could honestly see his life stretching out before him in a drunken state, blind and dumb to what happened around him. Eking out a scrap of happiness here and there and among the children he would conceive. He would die Loki, first and most likely last of his name, buried in a place of En Dwi Gast's choosing. Hopefully, the man would be kind and let him be buried with Sparkles.

That was the plan, until he heard Thor speak.

The day was like any other now; the Grandmaster and Loki were enjoying a quiet meal before leaving for the next arena battles. Sparkles had been allowed to play at their feet, amongst his numerous toys and bones.  
Though, today, he hardly seemed to want to play. He milled around under the table and seemed just to be...hollow. Not that the Frost Giant was concerned; he was already several drinks to the wind. He half-heartedly kicked something under the table that jingled and only received a whimper in response.

"Your dog is sick," he observed, holding back a hiccup.

"He gets like this," the Grandmaster said, though he too sounded annoyed. "He's just being very BAD."

The word 'bad' seemed to stir something in Sparkles, but he simply turned away from them.

"Hmmm, poor pup. Probably bored. I-I didn't, walk him yesterday."

Loki mockingly clucked his tongue and wagged his finger as he took another gulp of his cocktail.

"Come here, Boy. Look," Gast took a piece of meat from his plate and held it out to the 'dog'. "Come get the treat!"

Slowly, Sparkles moved toward the meat. There was a strange way to his movement gait that nagged at the brunette's mind, but as always, he turned away and became absorbed with his food and some silly pattern in the table. It wasn't until he heard the immortal scream did he look up.

"BAD BOY!" the Grandmaster shouted slapping Thor full in the face, his fingers slightly red from where he had been bitten.

Thor, for it was Thor now, growled. His one eye was glowing, though there was a touch of fear there too. It sought out the emerald eyes of his brother and begged, NO, demanded that he keep watching. That he didn't look away. Loki couldn't if he tried.

His own words came back to him, unbidden.

'I hope you know that I truly will never raise my hand against you, your family, or your....people.'

"TIMEOUT!" the elder shouted before calling for guards.

Then, Thor spoke.

"NO! NO! MAS-! NO! SOR- NO! PLEA-" His voice was strange and clipped and almost coarse but yet he screamed. His eyes sought out Loki, trying desperately to say something. "QUEMER! QUEMER!!" He repeated that unknown word, practically sobbing as three guards entered and frog marched the once Mighty Thor out of the room.

"Damnit," Gast said, waving his hand in annoyance. "I thought we were out of the biting stage." He looked around at the brunette, who was staring wide-eyed at the place his brother had just been. "A little timeout time does a dog good. You'll see."

"Timeout," he repeated. The word sounding so perfectly innocent.

"I'll show you."

And so he did. 'Timeout' was a small black box, barely past Loki's knee and not at all long. There was no way light could penetrate it, no way of escaping unless someone outside it felt generous enough to let one out. There seemed to be no lid, no hinge to break. It was most likely touched activated. It was kept in an equally dark and cramped room that smelled of must and decay.

"Practically soundproof, in or out," Gast explained probably. "I put him in here after we broke his leg the first time just to give myself a break. All that noise!"

"How long do you keep him in there?" Why was he asking?

Why couldn't he look away anymore?!

"Depends. I uh prefer two days but since he bit only two fingers, I'll knock it down to one." He feigned concern. "Oh my sweet little Husband! You look faint! How about you sit down?" He maneuvered the Frost Giant to sit on the black box, smiling at the discomfort and glare he received.

"I want to go back to my rooms."

"Our rooms."

"Let. Me. Go."

"Oh, Lo Lo. You can leave whenever you wish."

Loki practically fled to his rooms, realizing too late he had kicked the box, and quickly vomited the contents of his stomach. After he had sobbed and wretched, he called for alcohol. More than any Frost Giant could stomach.

He would die the way all cowards do; alone and by their own hands.

~~~~

Unfortunately, he did not die. He wished he had. The hangover was awful and was not helped by the return of Sparkles. Servants had brought him back to the closet, trying to be as soundless as possible. That didn't stop them from mocking Loki asleep, still clutching a bottle of whatever drink he had last hoped would kill him. Nor did it stop the whining once they left.

Loki rolled to the side of the bed and placed his head in his hands, tears falling as he heard the canine like whimpers. Why?! Why?! Why couldn't he be heartless?! Turn a blind eye?! Why couldn't he just ignore it?!

"Shut up," he hissed, standing on shaky legs. He still clutched the bottle in his hands as he staggered to the closet. He had to use the door frame to hold himself up as he stood glaring at the 'dog'. There was no light in the closet and the air was rank with the smell of dirty sheets and waste. It made him want to vomit again.

"Shut up!" he repeated, louder.

The dog whined, it's once familiar blue eye looking up at him. That eye had once looked at him with the fire of battle, sunny warmth of brotherhood, and the empathetic shared misery of their Mother's death. It had once danced with humor, laughing at his jokes. If had once looked hopefully at him, as he was sent away.

"Shut UP!" Loki cried, throwing the bottle to the ground. It broke, alcohol and glass spraying everywhere. Sparkles scrambled back and yelped.

That only made him more upset. "You don't get to make feel sorry for you! You drove me away! I had to make a life here! Even if it was a lie! Why did you come here?! WHY DID YOU COME HERE?! WHY COULDN'T YOU LET ME FORGET?!"

He fell to the floor, cutting one of his hands on the glass. It hardly mattered. He sobbed into the floor among the glass, dregs of alcohol, and colorful toys. All hail King Loki, where he belonged. Lest he ever forgot.

There was a tentative lick to his injured hand that made him jump. Loki snapped his head up and watched disbelieving as Sparkles...no...Thor bent his head and licked at the blood that trickled onto the ground. Part of him wanted go snatch his hand away and scream again. To again comfortably forget and go back to believing this was a dog. If he could fool himself long enough, maybe he could convince himself that Thor had died at Ragnarok. Or that there had never been a Thor. Maybe...next time he tried to drink himself to death, he would succeed.

'I hope you know that I truly will never raise my hand against you, your family, or your....people.'

Damn.

"Thank you....Brother," he whispered, tears again in his eyes. In the blue eye, there was a glimmer of the old Thor. Of something not quite lost and forgotten. That was enough for now.

After that, Loki made it a point to send an hour a day in the little closet with Thor. At first, he would just sit on the cleanest patch of floor and let the dog-man drop toy after toy into lap before he shot up and left. Once he got more 'comfortable', he brought books and even charts from his royal duties and read them aloud, as though Thor was actually contributing to the one way conversation. He also forced himself to be reminded that that was his brother. No matter how many times he walked into the little room and was barked at. No matter how much it hurt to see that one eye light up when the Grandmaster came for his 'visits' and 'walkies'. No matter what.

He didn't know what he was going to do yet. He wasn't entirely sure Thor had come to Sakaar alone. Somewhere, Valkyrie and Banner could be equally brainwashed into dogs, performing for some favored courtiers. Heimdall could be here, thrown into the arena, awaiting his turn to fight. They could have been sold to Jotunheim without his knowledge. The only way to find out who else was here was to ask his brother. Which was proving to be an impossible task.

"If your Midgardian friend is here, I must know. He could be a danger to himself or others! And potentially useful for getting off this planet. A second time. You see, I'm watched wherever I go and you, well you are too frankly. But with that green brute on our side we-"

"Woof!"

Loki sighed and fell back against the wall. "I don't want to use my magic on you, Thor. I don't know the harm it can do to you. I gambled using it on Valkyrie because I was confident in her mental fortitude. You however...."

"Woof!"

"Are proving not to be capable."

A red ball was dropped into his lap.

"No." He was unsure if he was talking to his brother or the seductive urge to turn his brain off again, but he spoke firmly.

Thor whined and dropped another ball into his lap.

"NO! If you aren't going to take this seriously, I'm calling it a day. I need to know! Can't you see how they are in danger? Can't you see how YOU'RE in danger? How...." How broken you are? He did not say that aloud, but it was on the tip of his tongue. He shook his head and stood, preparing to leave the closet.

"Quemer," came the hesitant raspy voice from the floor.

He stared at Thor. "What?"

"Que.....mer," Thor repeated, his entire body shaking as though it was talking a herculean effort to say just that.

"I don't understand, I'm sorry." He said it truly apologetic that he wasn't getting what clearly meant so much to his brother.

"Que...mer!" He reached out and gripped Loki's pant's leg desperately.

Loki again was going to apologize, but the door opened and a servant walked in, carrying a leather leash.

"My King, the Grandmaster wants it bathed today."

"Oh," he said simply, feeling the grip on his leg drop.

"Woof!" Thor barked happily, as though nothing had transpired. It was almost enviable how easily he could do that.

It wasn't hard to find the Grandmaster's favorite torturer. He had a very plush seat at most of the parties and had his luxurious apartments in the palace. He had quite the troop of slaves, all former victims who had been mangled to be useless to anyone else but him. The man didn't seem to mind the occasional broken piece of crockery or slow service. 

His name was not Quemer, however.

"Dunno why you want to know about my practices," the slug of a man said, all while a servant with a horrible limp and the putrid smell of urine about them served the pair drinks.

"There may come a time when there is a rebellion on Jotunheim," Loki explained smoothly, trying not to show his discomfort at the servant's odor. "I can hardly expect the rebellious to punish the rebellion, could I?"

"Suppose not," the slug conceded. "What would you like done to them?"

"Oh the usual, for the most part. Dismemberment, live disemboweling, hmm," he pretended to stroke his chin thoughtfully. "You know what would be interesting? To have the same that was done to the King of Asgard done to them."

"Ah," he leaned back proudly. "The doggie special! A favorite of the Grandmaster's."

"I am his Consort," Loki fluttered his eyelashes playfully. "What exactly do you do?"

"Mostly carrot and stick method. Introduce the concept, if they don't get it, pain. Hard to do on that Thunder Prick, but we found a way to suppress that. What really helped is that box that the Grandmaster found. Ever been alone with your thoughts and nothing else? All your doubts and fears and nothing to distract you but your heart beat? Now imagine you were in the dark cramped alone with your thoughts for hours. Days. Maybe someone comes by and suddenly bangs on the walls of the box. Maybe it's like being a thunderstorm. I mean, one you don't control." He grinned. "I used to gag him sometimes before he'd go in, just so he wouldn't talk to himself."

"He doesn't talk much anymore," Loki said before he could stop himself.

The slug hardly cared. He roared with laughter. "No he doesn't, does he! Another work of genius from the Grandmaster! Said, 'Hit him every time he talks instead of barks. Make sure he can't get the word out. That words are painful.' I broke every finger and toe, set them, and broke them again before he got it!"

Loki drained his glass and called for another, his own fingers and toes trembling.

The next day, he went to the great spaceport of Sakaar incognito and checked the manifests. There was no 'Quemer' ship there, and none of the numerous pirates who lurked openly around the place ever heard of such a thing either.

"You could make in easier on me," he told Thor when he returned to the closet. "You could give me a clue. Anything! Just whisper it. Please."

"Woof!"

"Damn you."

"Such language to use in front of my Sparkles!" the Grandmaster slithered into the small room like a serpent with his now constant smirk.

Thor yipped happily. He was always the happiest to see Gast. The slug had explained that the only time he had been let of Timeout during his initial training was when the immortal came to visit him. He was only fed and watered when he was present. Only healed then. Only bathed and allowed to toilet himself then. Only ever touched gently when Gast was there. Loki didn't need it explained to him why that was important. His brother's overjoyed face was enough.

"Oh aren't you a good boy! By goodest boy!" the Grandmaster sickeningly cooed. The 'dog' dropped down and rolled onto his back, showing his belly.

"You should start adding more fat to his diet," the brunette said flatly. "He looks like he's wasting away."

"So concerned, are we?"

"He's your dog, but it's my closet. If I find him dead because you haven't been feeding him properly-"

"Fine, fine," he rolled his eyes. "It has been like fucking a twig lately. And if I want to breed him..." He trailed off for a moment. "Given that much thought lately?"

"What?"

"Making an heir for Asgard. Giving Sparkles a spin. He's um quite big down there if you're wondering."

"I wasn't. Shouldn't we put a child on the throne of Jotunheim first?"

"Two birds, one stone, unless you want MY child on YOUR throne."

It would have been his child regardless, Loki wanted to point out but only half-heartedly shrugged. "Again, I haven't given it much thought."

"You should. Who knows? You may even like doing it doggie style."

Thor barked.

He was becoming slightly desperate.

It was clear that Thor had been seemingly too well 'trained' not to speak and only articulate like a dog. So, he resorted to using the tools he had available.

"Thor, no," he said firmly, scooping up the toys around the room and placing them in a pile beside him.

Thor growled and whined, trying to move past his hand to the pile to his favorite toy, a small push squid-like thing.

Loki swatted him. "I said no! I need to know! You came here with someone probably, and if I don't know who they are, I can't help them!" And more importantly, he thought, I can't help you.

That seemed to quiet his brother, but he was still watching the pile and making small whimpering noises.

"Thor. Thor! Look at me!" He snapped his fingers a few times and the blue eye followed it. It sickened him that he had resorted to using a technique that Gast used. "Listen to me. Listen to me. I need to know who you came with. So, you're going to tell me. Understand?"

Thor whined and backed up into his nest of blankets.

"It's alright. You don't have to speak, though it would make it easier." He selected one of the toys from the pile. He tried to avoid the chew marks and saliva stains. "Let's say this green ball is your friend, Banner. And this purple....is this a duck? Whatever it is, let's say it's Heimdall. Your precious squid, the Valkyrie. The red ball Volstagg. The blue...whatever is Fandral. This orange bone Sif and the black ball is Hogun. Now," he said after laying out the toys in front of him in a rather neat row. "Tell me, who came with you."

Nothing happened. The blonde curled up tightly in the blankets and whined, his eyes fixed on Loki. Pleading.

"You wouldn't be talking," he tried not to let his frustration show. "You would be...showing me. Or playing a game. Yes, playing a game. Please, play this game with me."

Again nothing happened.

"Please," tears were threatening to fall. "If this is you getting back at me for leaving, I'm sorry. I was angry. I was more than angry. I...I was scared I could hurt you again." He laughed bitterly. "It's almost comical to think of now! But I was hurt and...would you ever trust me again? Do you trust me now? Do...do you see me as a part of him?" That sent a cold shiver up his spine. Had Thor began to see him also as a version of Gast? Was the few moments of seeming humanity, flukes or him just warping what wasn't there.

The toys seemed pointless. They mocked him with their perfect row, their neat little arrangement. He scattered them with a sweep of his arm, falling back onto the wall in a heap.

"And I thought I could be a king. Maybe I should have just agreed to be imprisoned. I mean, what the hell is difference to what happened?"

That seemed to wake something in Thor. His head shot up, his eye again had that strange pleading form.

Loki ignored it and to shift to get up off the ground. He ignored as his older brother began to root among the scattered toys, as he stumbled slightly and slid back down the wall. He cursed, his legs deciding to give out. He was about to try to get up again when Thor dropped the yellow squid into his lap.

"I don't want to play." He said flatly.

Thor growled, and pointedly nodded at the toy.

Loki's brain caught up to him. "D-did Valkyrie come with you? I-is that what you're trying to tell me?!" A thrill of hope coursed through him. He prayed that a servant didn't walk in or worse, the Grandmaster.

The blonde shook his head, and then shook his whole body for good measure.

"She....didn't come with you?" He was confused.

"Quemer."

"I don't understand!" he cried, grabbing the toy and shaking it in Thor's face. "I don't fucking understand!"

"Que...mer..." He could see the effort it was taking.

But his blood was boiling.

"I DON'T-"

"Queen..."

He blinked. He leaned forward, still clutching the small toy it let out a high pitched squeak.

"Queen?"

"Queen's....Mer...cy..."

"'Queen's Mercy'? Is that the name of a ship? It can't be. A weapon? What do you mean? I can't give it! The Grandmaster will probably ignore any or my pleas. I don't-"

It hit him. All at once. Like a ton of bricks. He stared at the small yellow squid in his hand and then back at Thor.

A Queen's Mercy....

~~~~~

"How'd it go?" Brunhilde asked as he entered their private chamber. "Was he mad?"

"He was furious," Thor replied, nearly collapsing into a seat. "I knew he would be."

"I would be too! Of course, I didn't pretend to be Allfather and leave him on some other planet."

He couldn't help but smile. "But he did an alright job as King."

She laughed and came over, hugging him from behind. She was wearing a thin shift and he could feel her warm skin through it. Brunhilde was strong and graceful, a gentle heart wrapped in steel. A beautiful woman who would not only make a wonderful queen but a wonderful wife. He counted the days until they were wed.

"So...when should we have it arranged for our marriage and busting him out?"

"He, um, decided to leave."

"Why?! He does know that once we're married I would have you pardon him, right?"

"Uh..."

"RIGHT?!"

"Um..."

At that point he should have expected the slap to the back of his head.

"YOU DIDN'T TELL HIM?!" She let go of him and stomping around their apartments. His queen did not pace.

"OW! And no I didn't! I thought I wouldn't need to! I assumed he would figure it out himself or ask! Besides," Thor rubbed his head, "if he knew he we had planned just to pardon him, he'd probably be insufferably smug."

"When is he not insufferably smug? That's one of the twerp's main emotions!"

"He's hurt!" He stood, causing her to stop her stomping. "He has always been second, and then to find out he was never related to us....he feels every injustice, every slight deeply. And I have not helped matters. And now, when all of Asgard is forced to start a new, they remind him he is can never be a part of them. What is worse, is seemingly I have to bend to their will. I must be the good King. Unfortunately, that makes me a horrible brother."

Brunnhilde's expression softened. "You are a great king and a wonderful brother. You have found a solution to everyone's dilemma! If he knew, if he understood," she shook her head. "I mean, out of the two of you, I would think it was him who would know all Valkyries are barren."

"All those stories and legends, never mentioned it. And you always heard of some person or other who was the Son or Daughter of a Valkyrie."

"We took orphan children in and raised them as our own, yes! But I have never seen an actual Valkyrie conceive!" She took his hand in his. "You need an heir. Loki could be that! Asgard can see he's willing to own up to his mistakes! I need to be seen as a true successor to Frigga. And, let's not forget, the pining Gatekeeper who is watching your brother from afar. Heimdall keeps saying he has seen a future where he and Loki raise children together. He loves him and they would make an excellent Princely couple, if Loki would just open his eyes and see what's right in front of him."

"He says he'll be gone first think in the morning."

"Order him to stay! Surprise him and throw him in a cell now!"

"He's probably expecting it. Probably will wait up all night for it to happen. It will surprise him more if I just let him go."

"Enough for him to stay?!"

"Maybe. Maybe not. If he does go, I have the money I've given him bugged. We'll do a quick ceremony tomorrow, just you and I, then I'll set off after him."

Her face became determined and set. "I'll go with you."

"No. I'm going alone."

"But-"

Thor gripped her shoulders. "You must rule Asgard while I'm away. And look after Bruce. We are nearly at Earth and I need someone strong and with experience leading to guide them. Besides, all I need to do is catch up to him and say two words and he'll realize what an idiot he's being."

"'Come back'?"

"Queen's Mercy."

They laughed, her arms wrapping around his neck and her lips finding his.

"Come back with our idiot, okay?"

"I will. You have my word."

~~~~~

"My, you're quiet this evening!"

Loki forced himself to eat another tasteless bite of food, his mouth going through the motions of chewing and swallowing. Everything now was mechanical: every movement, every breath, every response. He looked across the table to the Grandmaster, who smiled sweetly at him. Did he know? Did Thor tell him before being captured? Did he tell him while being tortured? Did he just know? Guess?

He had been too blind. Too much in pain. Too stupid. And now, they were trapped.

"Come on!" Gast purred. "I haven't seen you all day and you won't talk to me! You know the foundation to a good marriage is communication. Isn't it, Sparkles!"

Thor barked happily, able to blissfully forget everything. He dropped the familiar yellow squid into the immortal's lap, who laughed and threw it across the room to be chased and retrieved.

"I was thinking of visiting Jotunheim," he finally said, dabbing his face with a napkin. "I am the King, after all."

"There's no reason to go, uh is there?"

"A state visit is always important."

"Oh but you have so much to do here! All your little projects."

Loki's eyes glared into Gast's. "You are refusing to let me go!"

"No! No! If you want to leave to 'play King' somewhere else, you can. I'll just be here, with Sparkles. Waiting for you to come back." Blue painted fingers ran over Thor's shaved head, like talons.

He pushed his plate away. "I've lost my appetite."

"Would you like to skip to dessert?"

"I don't feel I would be good company tonight."

"Well, I'll just have to content myself with my Puppy."

He ground his teeth. "Do you want-"

"No! No, don't trouble yourself! Go get some rest. Sparkles and I will go for a nice walk and...," he winked knowingly.

Back in his rooms, Loki collapsed on his bed and clutched a pillow to his chest. This was all his fault. If he had not been quick to offense, he would have stayed and been quickly released. If he had not come back to Sakaar, Thor wouldn't have followed him. If, if, if. He may as well have had an active role in torturing his brother.

He clutched the pillow tighter. He would never be forgiven. Forget forgiveness, he would never be free! How could he, when he would abandoning Thor once again?! Somewhere, right at that very moment, his brother was being raped, too damaged to process it or even defend himself. And afterwards, he would be brought back to a small room, and allowed to sleep in his nest of dirty blankets on the floor, while his rapist would tuck himself next Loki on the comfortable bed. He would probably let his disgusting fingers run down his body, coaxing him to turn and he would get his second conquest of the evening. This would be their lives; an endless cycle of pain and trauma until one of the dies.

He could do it. End his life. He had failed to drink himself to death but there were numerous other ways. Walk off a building. Starve himself. Slit his wrist. Walk into the arena unarmed. Poison. Hang himself. Drown. Provoke the Grandmaster enough to be melted down into a slurry. Set himself on fire. Whatever the method, the result would be the same: he would be dead and free of all of this.

But that was what the Grandmaster was hoping for. The immortal could be patient, play out the rest of Loki's natural life as simply a benefactor, coruler, and jailer, occasionally siring a child on Frost Giant if he wanted. Once he was dead, Gast would reap the rewards: Jotunheim, Asgard, and whatever else he wanted. Or he could kill himself and expedite the process. Eventually he would get tired of Thor and kill him too. He had a vision of the Asgardian warrior tied to a millstone and thrown into a river, like so many hunting hounds. The only thing keeping his brother alive was him and Gast's own sadism.

There had to be a way to get off this stupid planet. With Thor.

The finding a way off the planet for himself was relatively easy, actually. As the Grandmaster had said, he could technically leave at any time to Jotunheim. And he had the treasure and money saved to bribe a crew to take him nearly anywhere close to the Milky Way Galaxy. If he was willing to sell and or save a little more, he could probably even get into Earth's Solar System. After that, it wouldn't be hard to overpower or turn a crew to his side, allowing him to ride the rest of the way. That was not even counting the distinct possibility that the Statesman would overtake him.

Of course, that plan had two major problems. First, it was obvious. The Grandmaster probably was expecting any day now for Loki to run. He probably had prepared for either a hostile takeover of the Frost Giants or at least for a protracted war with them. Or even to drop the planet entirely; he could hardly care less about it. Secondly, his conscience. He would be leaving Thor, to probably be killed the second he was out of Sakaar's atmosphere. And he had promised damnit

But taking Thor with him, unseen no less, was more complicated. Servants came in twice a day to feed him, and there always seemed to be a few servants ready to 'attend' Loki as well. Even now, as he laid on the bed, several filtered in and out on some meaningless task. They would report his actions, well, inaction, to the Grandmaster. He was sure that they had already clued the immortal in on him spending time in the closet. While he could trick them, use his magic and his own Silver Tongue to fool them, it would only be one step. He'd have to get Thor out of the palace. Past guards, courtiers, sycophants, slaves and servants alike, and who knows who else. Countless people who would delay him, pick apart his illusions, and sell them back to the Grandmaster.

And then there was Thor himself. Could his brother mentally handle the pressures of escape? After he had said his two word confession, he had retreated back into that strange dog headspace. He hadn't responded to Loki's tearful apologies or questions. It was as though he had used all his mental energy in speaking those few syllables and collapsed. Loki couldn't imagine the emotional effort of trying to get him to participate in an escape attempt. But he had to. He couldn't leave Thor here. Not with him.

The next day, Loki slipped back into the closet and sat down among the toys and scattered parts of Thor's bed. The blonde was doing his now customary whines as he chewed on one of the numerous colorful things. It didn't escape the brunette's notice that away from the Grandmaster's eye, the Asgardian only played with the softer items, things that would be less painful over time. We all make our concessions, he supposed.

"Thor," he said quietly.

He didn't look up, continuing to chew and whine.

"I know you understand me. I know you remember your name. You did yesterday. And the day before that."

The damaged man shifted, but stubbornly refused to look up.

"Please," Loki reached out desperately, "please. I need my brother. If this is your own way of punishing me for doing this to you, I deserve it. But can't you wait to punish me for when we are free?"

Thor swiveled his head up slowly. His one blue eye was dull, but it was looking at him.

"Fr...ee...?"

He smiled eagerly. He scooted closer, reminding him of years of childish escapades and their time as warriors together. All those campaigns and adventures they went on when others said no. All those times they had talked one another into foolish displays of bravery.

"Yes! Free! Together, we can escape! Leave Sakaar again! Get back to the Statesman! The Grandmaster won't follow! Once we're out of his sight, he'll hardly care!"

The nervous fidgeting was getting worse, and there was a gleam in the blue eye.

Emboldened, he continued, "Once we're far away from here and back on the Statesman, you can get medical attention! And you can be King! And you and Banner and half of Asgard can pound me into the dirt for all I care. Then you can come back and aveng-"

"No."

It was such a simple word, but saying it made Thor tremble. His entire body shook and he looked ready to cry like a child.

"No?"

"No." He repeated the word, still terrified. "No...go. Ya-you...g-g-go. I-I-I s-s-stay. I...good."

Loki blinked. "No. No, no, no, no, NO!" He tried to grab Thor's arm but the older man backed up fearfully. "No we're going together! I made a promise! I know I haven't fulfilled it, but I want to honor it! I want-"

"You...g-g-good. Y-you h-h-here. Y-you l-l-leave, y-you f-f-free. I-I-I s-s-stay w-w-with M-M-Master. G-g-good." Each word was stammered out in a high pitched voice punctuated with slight whines. Loki feared they would be overheard, and once more Thor would be punished, in spite of his insistence of being 'good'.

"You can't stay here," he hissed, finally grabbing Thor's face in an iron grip. It frightened him to realize he was now stronger than him. Once there would have been a thrill, a smug joy to be had. Now, seeing how easily he could lift and maneuver his once rival, he was terrified. He truly was without an ally. "You can't stay here! You are in danger! Look what he has reduced you to!"

"G-good. T-t-taken c-care of-f."

"He's made you a sex slave at best, a dog at worst! You are meant to wear a crown-"

"N-n-never w-wanted-"

"Now is not the time to abdicate your throne, you stupid oaf! What about Banner?"

"H-Hulk w-w-will-"

"And Asgard?"

"V-V-Valk-"

"And what about her! Did you leave a baby in her belly or not?! She's in love with you and a child cannot replace her love for the idiot she fell in love with!"

"B-b-barren."

"Oh that's just fucking great," Loki snarled. "The Great Line of Odin comes to an end because his idiot son ran off after his other idiot son! And now he won't return because he's too cowardly and too damaged to leave a FUCKING CLOSET!" He shoved Thor back and stood. "I am trying to honor my promise to you, Brother. Or do you rather like being, Sparkles?"

"A-a-adopted."

He left. He went and moved temporarily into the makeshift throne room that had been given to him. Servants flowed in and out to refill his wine goblet and tempt him into food. He barely took notice. The Grandmaster came once, but he was by then barely coherent.

Gast enjoyed him like one would enjoy any sideshow freak. "Look! The Great King of Jot...however you pronounce it!"

"Jotunheimmmm," he slurred back, throwing an empty decanter at vaguely the three swirling heads he was seeing. It was no where close to hitting him.

"Whatever you say," he smirked back. "More wine for Your Majesty? Will you be coming back to our rooms Your Majesty? Or will I be left with only a Puppy Dog to warm my bed?"

"Fuck you."

"Oh no Darling! I fuck him."

~~~~~

Loki must have spent a week in the throne room, drunk and resentful, before someone finally was either concerned or cruel enough to return him back to his bed. He woke up to the familiar heartbreaking sound of whining and and unfamiliar sensation of a hand running softly through his hair. For a brief moment, he thought maybe it was Thor. Maybe it was his older brother, caring for him like when they were small, still in the nursery and under their Mother's gaze.

No so luck.

"Finally awake, are we?"

His eyes snapped open and into Gast's smirking face.

"You were very um, well...you were passed out in your own vomit. It wasn't a good look Lo Lo. They cleaned you up before they put you to bed."

It was then he realized he was wearing only a simple shirt that barely covered himself. He tried to escape the bed, but his own hangover and Gast pushing him down effectively trapped him there.

"No getting up now! You're unwell! And you may leave me and Sparkles alone again!" He waved a hand to the foot of the bed. Inching his head up a little, he could see Thor, his one good eye horribly bruised. There was a cut over it and his head had been shaved once again, so close to his scalp that there was drying blood from the razor.

"What did you do?" his voice was hoarse.

"Oh he was the one who hurt his eye. When he doesn't hear anyone around he uh gets a bit rambunctious. Poor thing, running into walls. Too quiet! But if you put him on the other end of a noisy razor and he freaks out about that as well! He moved and look what he did to himself!" He patted the space next to him on the bed and whistled at Thor. "Come here, Boy. Tonight is a treat! You can lie in the big bed!"

Before Loki could process what was being said or prevent it, Thor crawled onto the bed. He immediately noticed that he wasn't wearing his usual tail plug and the cage around his genitals was gone. Panic began to creep into his stomach.

"All those drinks! You barely had any food during your little binge!" the Grandmaster was saying. "I was so worried! I had to slip vitamins into your wine!"

His head whipped around, making the world spin. He tried once again to move but again was pushed down. "V-vitamins?"

"Yes, Your Highness! We're married and I do worry about my little Lo Lo!" He clucked his tongue loudly, increasing Loki's headache. "I had them put all sorts of good things in your drinks! Iron, vitamin a, b, c and d, potassium," he dramatically paused, as though thinking. "Something else. Something else. What was it?"

Loki for a third time tried to lift himself off the bed but this time was violently held in place.

"Oh, that's it!" The Grandmaster looked down like a feral gleam in his eyes. "Fertility supplements!"

"NO!" Loki screeched and tried in vain to push the immortal off of him, but he was stronger. He couldn't use magic: he could accidentally hurt his brother, or worse. It didn't help matters that his body and powers felt sluggish, disconnected from himself. He doubted Gast had been giving him supplements in an effort to keep him 'healthy'. Most likely he had given him drugs to weaken him.

"Why all the protests?" he grinned down at the Frost Giant. "Why all this fighting? That's what you wanted, right? A legacy? Put a child on the throne?"

"NO! LET GO OF ME! I DON'T WANT YOUR FILTH INSIDE OF ME!"

"You've already had my 'filth' inside of you numerous times. What's one more time? And this time, you get a little kiddo out of it. Aren't you a lucky boy!"

"I. WON'T. CARRY. YOUR. CHILD! The first chance I get I'll rip it from my body! I'll drown it! I. Won't. Let. It. Live."

"What about Sparkles 's child?"

All the fight left Loki. He stared horrified at Gast and then at Thor. Thor looked back, almost apologetic. His lip was quivering and he looked so scared. So helpless. Like a puppy left outside in a storm.

"You...want me...to..."

"Isn't it perfect! I've thought of everything!" The Grandmaster was once again his cheerful self. "I know you're unhappy. That's why you've been drinking so much! And that's, well uh, that's not healthy! So I decided to give you a baby. And I knew you would probably be VERY concerned about your adopted home, you are so bad at hiding it, I thought you would want to make sure there was someone to rule it after you. I mean," he chuckled. "Sparkles can't possibly do it. Speaking of my Poor Poochie! You left him in quite a state! I nearly had to put him in Timeout, how naughty he was being! I think he deserves a treat!"

Thor began to whine, pawing at the blankets. Tears and snot rolled down his face and he was shaking violently. But still, no discernible speech came from his lips. No pleas for this to end. To stop it. How could he? He was between a rock and a dark soundless cramped place.

And it wasn't his decision. It never had been.

"So, Lo Lo? What's it going to be? I mean, you could have me. I'd be flattered! But um Sparkles would have to go. Into Timeout. I mean, I only let him slide because I thought YOU could help calm him down. But if you don't want to, then, well too bad."

Again, it all came to his choice. Once again, he was being given two equally horrible options. But this time, there would be no Thor secretly scheming to save him. There would be no 'Queen's Mercy'. There would only be pain.

Unless.

He made his own third option.

He was the God of Mischief, and he would not be out-tricked.

"Fine," he hung his head in defeat. "I will...I will bed with Thor."

Thor howled miserably.

"Quiet Sparkles!" Gast shouted. Turning back to Loki, he grinned. "See! You'll enjoy it! I assure you."

He didn't.

The Grandmaster prepared him, his legs held open by spreader bars. All the while, his brother whined and cried, little whimpers escaping his lips. Loki closed his eyes prayed.

'Heimdall...I know I am not Asgardian. But please....if you can hear me...if you WANT to hear me...for the love you bear your King. Please...."

~~~~

He found himself in an unadorned rather small bedroom. The small window showed space endlessly rolling out, twinkling stars, and a blue marble of a planet adorned with white puffy clouds.

"So you finally think to call on me?"

Loki turned his head and saw the sad smiling familiar face of the Gatekeeper of Asgard.

Tears ran down his face. "I thought it was power long since lost to me."

Heimdall's smile was so bittersweet. He bent low, their faces so close yet so far away. "Never, my Prince. Never."

"D-do you know what has happened? What is happening?"

"Yes."

He choked down a sob. "I couldn't stop it! You have to understand! I couldn't stop! If I knew a way! I never wanted this! I never meant for this to happen! Please-"

"I know. I know." The taller man shushed him, his voice so soothing and so near that for a moment Loki felt safe.

But only for a moment.

"Will they ever forgive me?" His voice was breaking. "Will they ever understand? Will he ever understand? Do you even understand?"

"Nothing that has happened is your fault."

"I could have-"

"Do you blame a deer for getting ensnared in a well placed trap? Do you blame a lamb for stumbling into a wolves den? Why blame yourself?"

"I should have known better. I should have seen!"

Heimdall laughed. "And Thor should have spoken. Yet, he is not to blame either. We can go around in circles and blame ourselves or we can blame the person responsible."

They both stopped as suddenly Loki's legs were lifted without his leave and the shirt was pushed to his chest. He could feel what was happening to his lower body in an abstract way: something poking at his entrance. His legs being draped over quivering shoulders.

If he strained his ears, he could hear sobs. Were they his? Or Thor's?

"I cannot bring you like this," Heimdall said, his voice full of with regret. "I may bring HIM too. And that will not do."

"No, it will not." He felt his stomach tried to revolt at what was happening on Sakaar, but he tried to remain present with the Gatekeeper. "And I must be sure, regardless."

"Sure?"

"That I am with child." Green eyes met amber. "I have my duty not only to Asgard, but Jotunheim. It is time to stop playing at King."

"Yes....Allmother." There was a playful smile on Heimdall's lips, and his hand reached out and faintly caressed Loki's cheek.

"I truly have been blind, haven't I? How long?"

"For centuries. But you were a Prince and too young. Even after all your tricks and mischief though, how could I not fall in love with the only one who has ever surprised me?"

He was about to speak when he felt something begin to enter him, his mind trying to reject the reality. He couldn't keep the connection with this pain and with his heart breaking. He risked one last look at Heimdall, the man's eyes like precious garnets in the low light.

And then all at once, he was falling...falling...falling...

~~~~~

"You want me to return to Jotunheim? Your Majesty. " The old Jotun woman narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.

Loki hardly expected immediate trust. He had largely ignored her and the children once they had come to Sakaar and over the recent months of his drunken depression, he probably looked incompetent at best. Emotionally unstable at worst.

But he held firm. "Yes. You and your charges are to leave Sakaar as soon as you are able to find transportation."

That really made her even more curious. She leaned forward from where she was sitting, her scarlet eyes scrutinizing him carefully. He stayed firmly in place, his own emerald eyes and expression neutral. They stayed like that for several moments there in his private dining room, him standing and her sitting down, the meal he had asked her to join him for as pretence for this meeting going cold and congealing between them.

Finally, with a voice of mistrust and doubt, the old Jotun asked, "Why?"

"I will be leaving Sakaar soon. Forever. And once I do, the Grandmaster will most likely lose all interest in the Frost Giants. If you and the children are still on this planet after I leave, you will most likely be taken as slaves. As your King, I cannot allow that. For my pride or my conscience."

She looked shocked, her entire face flashing fear for a moment before she calmed herself. There was still a cautious note to her voice as she tentatively spoke. "What of your marriage alliance with the Grandmaster?"

"Marriages can be annulled and alliances that do not actually benefit both parties are useless."

"So where will you go, once you leave Sakaar?"

"To Asgard."

The woman reared back in a triumphant rage. Loki vaguely wondered if it was a racial trait they shared. "Truly you are ODINSON! You are no true King of Jotunheim, you-"

"I am the King of Jotunheim. But I am also a Prince of Asgard, and in a week once it is confirmed by a healer, I shall be Allmother," he placed a hand over his flat stomach in the universal gesture of motherhood. "This ceaseless fighting between Aesir and Jotun is at an end. A new age is dawning, an age where we must work cooperatively or at least independently of one another. What has the war ever gotten us? Death? Heartache? I am done fighting my Brother, on either side. I am done nursing wounds from past wrongs or perceived slights. I know I will not probably not change hearts or minds, but let us put down our weapons and fight the true enemy. This enemy." He waved his other hand around to the room they were now in.

Again there was a pause. The old woman looked down at her plate thoughtfully, her face still twisted in a scowl. Loki looked past her to the paneling on the wall. Faintly, he could hear the announcer from the gladiatorial arena and the other countless noises of the Grandmaster's palace. It grated at his ears and it took an enormous effort to pour himself a glass of water instead of the wine that had been laid out on the table.

Finally, "How will I leave with the children, my King?"

"Quietly find a ship that will take you to Jotunheim. The sooner the better. I have money, treasure, that you can use. And you may take whatever you wish that has 'provided' to you for your service here. Sell it or trade it. I will even provide more of my personal income if you need or want more. Whatever is left, divide amongst the children's families and yourself. It may not be much but if may help."

"And what shall I tell the Elders when I return?"

Loki shrugged. "Your choice, I suppose." He laughed bitterly at the word.

"My Young King," the old Jotun's eyes had become soft and tender. She reached across the table with a thin blue hand. "Let you find peace and comfort in this child. I pray it shall be strong. For the sake of Jotunheim...and for Asgard."

"They shall be," he took her hand gratefully. "Like his Father."

When he returned to his rooms, he found a musician massaging his fingers over his abandoned instrument. From within the now familiar closet, there was the sound of distress from his brother.

Seething, he rounded on the musician. "I told you to play until I got back!"

"My fingers!" the young alien held up green fingers going dark purple with bruises. "You've been gone for hours! And it's just a-"

"GET OUT! AND DON'T EXPECT TO BE PAID IF YOU CAN'T FOLLOW A SIMPLE INSTRUCTION!"

"But-"

"OUT, YOU ABSOLUTE CRETIN!"

The musician fled, leaving behind his instrument in the process.

Loki sighed, picking up the unfamiliar stringed contraption. He walked into the closet and found Thor peering out from his nest of blankets. He yipped as he entered and rushed to him, tears running down his cheek.

"I'm back. I'm back. I tried to keep it as quick as possible. I didn't know that imp would stop playing. If I had known, I wouldn't have left." He gave his brother his gentlest smile and ran a hand over the shorn head, tactfully avoiding the cuts from the razor.

"Y-you a-a-angr-r-y!"

"Not at you. Did my yelling scare you?"

"N-n-noise." He didn't elaborate. He didn't need to. Anything to do with noise scared him. The absence, things too loud, things suddenly too quiet.

"I will try to prevent myself from yelling in the future. Even to idiots. And I promise that soon, no one will ever yell at you again. You must be patient though." Loki lifted his chin. "Just a little longer now, Brother."

"I-I-I am-m-m-m g-g-good."

"Good." He knew his 'good' and Thor's 'good' had vastly diametrically opposed meanings, but he was not about to tell him that. He sunk to the floor of the closet and hummed a lullaby, a hand resting on his stomach and his eyes skyward.

A week passed at a snail's pace. The Grandmaster hardly took notice of Loki's child court, and various objects, suddenly go missing. A new musician was found and also fired. Food was brought and taken from the closet. The Consort of Sakaar took his seat next to his husband during mealtimes and made idle chit chat. He ignored the barbs and needling questions about whether he had been to a healer yet or not.

"You'll know soon enough," Loki said finally, pushing away the drink he had been offered with the question.

At last after a week, he summoned a healer to attend him. It was too soon for any symptoms, but he was confident in his own body as well as the Grandmaster's drugs. It wasn't difficult to arrange a time during one of the numerous gladiatorial arena matches, an easy distraction to keep the immortal preoccupied during most of the day so he was absent. He greeted the doctor warmly, dressed in loose clothing and the crown of Sakaar. The Jotunheim one he had given to the old woman before she had left.

The exam went longer than expected; the healer had the Grandmaster's wandering hands and sly smiles and winks. But he eventually stood back and cheerfully declared, "My King! You are pregnant!"

"Such happy news," Loki said, though he did not smile. This happiness was not for Sakaar to snuff out. He wasn't going to let it be corrupted too.

"If you would be ever so kind to give me the honors of telling the Grandmaster this glorious-"

"No." He relished saying the word and making the man stop in his tracks. He wanted to stab the man, take out all the pain he and Thor had experienced on this tiny fool. Instead, he smiled, "I want to surprise my Dear Husband! Can you please keep it a secret?"

The healer looked reluctant. "The one who gives this news to the Grandmaster would receive a large reward. He has made it kno-"

"Here," Loki took the crown from his head and handed to the old man. "If you wish for a reward, my crown. A child is worth far more to me than this....trinket."

As was predictable with all those who live on Sakaar, greed over took the healer. He grabbed the ringlet and left, almost without bowing or promising not to tell the Grandmaster. He wouldn't, for a time. But by the time he thought to do so, they would be gone.

"B-b-b-bab-by?"

The brunette turned. Kneeling in the door of the closet was Thor, hesitantly peering out at him.

"Yes, Thor. Our baby."

His brother looked away, his eye shining with tears at the memory of how that baby was conceived. But he looked back rather quickly, curious.

"B-b-boy or-r-r g-g-g-"

"It's far too early for that," he chuckled. "But if you come here, you can maybe feel their life magic. All creatures give off life magic, even more so when they are in their Mother's wombs. I'll teach you to feel it, like Mother taught me. Come here." He held out his hands in a welcoming gesture.

Thor hesitated. "S-s-stay."

"No one is around. And I promise it won't take long. Besides, the light is better here. Please. For our baby?"

Paternal love is strange in the House of Odin, he reflected as Thor warred with himself. He wondered if Odin would have approved of this sleight of hand. This little white lie. But how could he not? It was his legacy he was securing.

On hands and shaky knees, the King of Asgard crawled. He crept closer to Loki who smiled, still holding out his arms.

"Give me your hands. It's alright. Trust me. No will ever harm you again. That's it. Now hold them tightly. Don't let go, okay?"

"O-o-okay."

"I think we're ready now. If you could-"

They were gone before he could finish the sentence, racing through the Bifrost. Thor was screaming, squeezing his hands for dear life, nearly breaking his fingers. But still he clutched back just as tightly. When they finally arrived and let go, Thor dropped to the ground with an unceremonious thud, while he fell into Heimdall's waiting embrace.

"Tend to him!" Loki called out to the assembly of waiting servants and warriors. "But be gentle. And speak gently to and around him. He is...most unwell."

The group peered at him and then over to the Valkyrie, wearing her white armor and beautiful cape. She nodded to them before moving closer to Thor, who was still in a crumpled heap, sobbing incoherently.

"How long were we gone? Time on Sakaar-"

"A week." Heimdall replied.

"A week." He almost laughed. "It was a lifetime."

~~~~~

"I disguised myself as Thor to get your Planet's approval for us to colonize here. I learned later that you, Dr. Banner, had been sent to Earth before my brother had left after me, so I made it seem as though the reason was because of preparation on our end. Not a complete lie. I also had to broker a new treaty for the Nine Realms."

Loki's speech had been flat during most of his telling. Matter-of-fact. It frightened Rogers how easily he was able to speak about it. Through everything. Even as tears slid down his face. Even as his shoulders shook. His voice remained a controlled and even monotone, as though he had repeated it several times. He probably had.

"You should have seen Thor the first few months we were here. He refused to eat, he was trying to starve himself. He kept trying to convince Heimdall to send him back. To send us back. One night, when we were still building the palace compound, the lights went out. He screamed and nearly gouged out his other eye."

"Why," Tony spoke up, coughing in discomfort at both the story and the fact he was feeling sorry for the man who had once thrown him out a window, "why didn't Thor use his powers? I mean, we know he didn't have Mjolnir, but he has the power of lightning and thunder and-"

"They put a device inside him that reversed his powers in on himself. We had to...we had to take it out of him." Loki looked down at his hands. "I was heavily pregnant by then, so I couldn't do much of anything. He kept crying for me to help him. Then he would cry for...Him."

"I'm very sorry," Natasha said quietly. She reached out her hand to comfort the brunette, but he gently pushed the hand away.

"It's quite alright."

"Allmother," Bruce frowned. "Isn't that the same title as Queen for you guys?"

"Usually, yes. But it is only given once to the Queen once she has had a child. Brunhilde would have never received the title. From what she and Heimdall have explained to me, the title was simply going to be retired. That was until...," he shook his head. "I use the title Prince often. Especially if I have to communicate to Midgardians. But Heimdall insists on the title."

"Why didn't you just tell us?" Rogers finally asked.

Loki glared at him, and for a moment he was reminded of the man he had faced off so many years ago. "Would you have believed me? DO you believe?"

"I mean, now that we've seen him like-" Clint began but was cut off sharply.

"I DIDN'T want you to see him like this! He SHOULDN'T be seen like this. He SHOULDN'T BE like this!"

"Hey!" the super soldier put himself between the Trickster and the Archer. "None of that! He's just worried. We've been worried for awhile now. But now we know. And we do believe you. Please Loki. We care about your brother. And we see you do too."

Loki seemed to relax at his words, but his guard was still up. His face showed how exhausted he was and how much weight he had lost from stress.

"I think," the brunette said quietly,"it's time for you to go."

They agreed.

~~~~~

"They will be back," Loki said softly that evening in Heimdall's arms. "Now that they know, they'll want to come and see him more." 

"That is a good thing though, my Love. He needs to see them. He wants to see them." The Gatekeeper's embrace tightened around him. He quickly loosened his grip when the brunette's breathing began to quicken and his eyes went wide with panic. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to comfort you."

"You are! But talking about it again, it all came rushing back. It felt fresh, like it happened only yesterday. Like I would turn a corner and HE would be there, smirking. Holding a leash."

"He will not come for you. I would know about it."

Loki smiled. "I know, Darling. But my mind...it plays these tricks on me. Funny, isn't it?"

Heimdall said nothing. He looked up to the door of their rooms expectantly. Sure enough, there was a nervous knock and Thor opened the door. The blonde blushed.

"I'm n-n-not interrupting, am-m-m I?"

Frowning at the return of the stutter that had taken months to smooth away, the younger brother stood from the small loveseat he and his fiance had been sharing. "No, not at all. Where's Balder?"

"With the nurses and Brunhilde. I could-"

"No it's alright," Loki laughed, "She enjoys him and he enjoys her." His face softened. "How are you feeling?"

"S-s-shaky," Thor stammered. "But I think-I think I did rather well, though. All things considering."

"You did."

"Until the point I barked. And began babbling."

He cringed slightly. "Yes, well, I'd say I didn't think they would, um affect you in that way."

It was the older brother's turn to wince. "Neither did I. But I suppose I should see them more. You were probably already disgusing that. I mean, I-I c-c-can't stay in locked up in the back rooms, can I?"

"No. You cannot. Stark mentioned the Odd Doctor-"

"Strange."

"Yes. He mentioned he may come and assist us here, with our medical facilities. Is that alright?"

It didn't look alright but Thor nodded. He had reached his word limit for the day it seemed. His eyes were downcast and his legs were shaking from supporting his weight. Heimdall was out of his seat and guiding him to sit, just as his legs finally lost their battle and he collapsed.

"I think a warm drink would not go amiss," Loki said lightly, catching the amber eyes. "Don't you agree?"

"I will see to it, Allmother."

As he left, the brunette stroked Thor's cheek and tucked a now clean strand of hair behind his ear. The sun outside had been replaced quickly this afternoon by heavy gray storm clouds. As the blonde began to tremble and shake on the couch, the clouds got darker and heavier. Rain began to pelt the window of the room, slowly at first, building into a torrent.

"It's alright," Loki soothed in the same voice he used for their son, "It's alright."

There was a great BOOM and a streak of lightning lit up the room. Thor dove into his arms and began to sob, the rain outside pouring.

"It's alright," he repeated one last time, his own eyes filling with tears. "I won't let it harm you. I won't let anyone harm you again."

By the time Heimdall returned, the rain had begun to lessen and Thor was asleep in the safety of Loki's embrace.

**Author's Note:**

> Remember to comment and leave kudos!


End file.
